//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: The Devil Fruits of Equestria // by Golden Flare //------------------------------// Ahh, Equestria, a land full of humanoid-like creatures who majority of them support the Magic of Friendship and live in peace and harmony... ...Unless, of course, you're me. "AHHHHHHH!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I ran through the Ponyville market with six certain mares on my trail. "Get back here!" Rainbow shouted as she and the rest ran after me. You see that guy? That's me, Finn Jackson. And the girls hunting me like a wild animal, are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. I suppose you're wondering why I'm running for my life from some of the most revered ponies in Equestrian history, despite that they're somehow anthro... I kept running and running, then I briefly looked back, seeing that two of them were missing, specifically Applejack and Pinkie Pie, "Wait...where'd they go?!" I returned my eyes forward and saw the two aforementioned Earth Ponies standing in my escape route, and I was headed right for them! "AHHHHHHH--" [PAUSE] ...If you can just give me a few minutes, I can totally explain how all this happened. Let's rewind a bit, shall we? [REWIND] ... ...... ......... [PLAY] One Week Ago... You see, I was just loafing around my home during my day off from work, same old, nothing special, when suddenly my doorbell rang. "Huh? I wasn't expecting anyone." I said as I got and headed for the door. I open it and see nobody around, I began to think it was some punks playing "ding-dong ditch" with me, until I noticed a package on the doorstep. I began to scratch my head with a finger, "Strange. I wasn't expecting any mail either." It was a Sunday, so naturally there shouldn't be any mail today. But curiosity got the better of me and I took the box in, I grabbed a little knife from the kitchen drawer and proceeded to cut open the box to see what was inside. "If this is one of those glitter bomb pranks I've been hearing about, I swear..." Regardless of my paranoia, I opened all the flaps and saw what was inside. "A Devil Fruit?" I uttered. It wasn't any Devil Fruit though, I knew this to be the Ice-Ice Fruit from watching One Piece. Thank you, late-night binge-watching. "Hm? There's a note." I picked up both the fruit and the note and read the latter. To whom it may concern, I have bestowed upon you a real Devil Fruit, no lie, it's really real! You have been chosen to partake in a little project of ours to see what humanity is truly capable of. It will begin in one minute after you've opened this box, what you do with the Devil Fruit we've hand-picked for you is your choice. Signed, Lobos Excaliburn I read and reread the note to make sure I wasn't seeing things, "Pfft, these people must think I was born yesterday." But I didn't eat the Devil Fruit to prove them wrong, I was lot of things, and arrogant wasn't one of them; arrogance leads to stupidity, and stupidity leads to trouble, which I don't want. So, I decided to humor these weirdoes and count the seconds from when I opened the box with the Ice-Ice Fruit still in my hands. Opening that box was the biggest mistake I made in my life. One Minute Later... I had passed out after receiving a sudden massive headache, like someone had clocked me really hard in the back of the skull. Did I leave the door unlocked and an intruder got in or something? I didn't have long to think on it as I began to wake up, my vision blurry and my mind disoriented. After clearing the fog in my head, I immediately noticed that the Ice-Ice Fruit was still in my hand, albeit surprisingly, then I took stock of my surroundings; I seemed to be in a closet chock full of valuables and gold! I immediately slap myself before I could think on that any further, "No, this isn't right! I'm supposed to be at home, and last time I checked, I didn't have a closet full of golden objects!" I calmed myself and began to think, "Hmm...if it was a burglar who broke in and robbed me, why did he kidnap me and throw me in here with possibly stolen goods? It doesn't make sense...was it really just a sudden massive headache?" considering my medical history, I got headaches very often, "It's...not ENTIRELY a coincidence, but...something doesn't sit right. Could those people who sent me the Devil Fruit have actually been onto something?" But alas, there were too many questions with no answers. Thus, I knew what I had to do. "...I better take a look around." Leaving behind the valuables, knowing full well they probably belong to somebody, I carefully walked up to the only door in this room and quietly opened it just a crack to make sure no one else was around. Boy, was I wrong. I literally had to bite my tongue to keep myself from screaming like a little girl when I saw what was behind that door; humanoid ponies in multiple colors, walking around in fancy outfits within an elegant ballroom as if their existence was completely normal. I had a powerful feeling of where I am, but I didn't want it to be true: I'm in an anthro-version of Equestria! I suppose you're wondering: "how do you know about Equestria?" Simple question, simple answer; I'm a brony, my brother was a brony and got me into the show by begging me to watch at least one episode, been hooked ever since. But that doesn't explain how I ended up here, of all places! ...Wait. The box. The note. The Devil Fruit. Was this part of that "project" the note mentioned? Regardless, I knew I had to get gone, fast. As I slipped out of the gold-filled closet and sidled along the wall, a tall, white anthro-pony and a shorter lavender anthro-pony suddenly barged in like there was an emergency, I knew these two to be Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. But what was going on? Why are rushing like there was a barn on fire? "Attention Grand Galloping Gala guests!" the Princess declared, "A malicious energy has been detected right here in this ballroom! Please vacate the premises until we find the source!" Everypony began to leave the room, but I tried to go faster and quieter, because I knew all too knew what she sensed: the power within the Devil Fruit. If I had any doubts that this thing was a genuine Devil Fruit, they're certainly gone now. I kept inching my way closer to the exit, until... "HALT!!" I froze and slowly turned my head to see the princess, Twilight and her friends, and a WHOLE F@%#ING LEGION of armored guards with their weapons at the ready! I may be overexaggerating about the legion bit, but still! The princess lit her horn as I flinched, then she gasped in shock as she looked at the fruit in my hands, "The energy is coming from that fruit...you! Hand it over, immediately!" I took a small step back, but the guards took notice of it and tensed themselves for a chase, "Uh, that would be great...if this thing wasn't potentially and extremely dangerous when bitten into." Celestia's eyes narrowed, "Why?" I took a deep breath to compose myself, "Sorry, anxiety getting the better of me again..." I cleared my throat, "This thing is called a 'Devil Fruit', when taken at least a single, small bite, the fruit gives the devourer a great power granted to them by the Sea Devil, at the cost of being unable to swim in large bodies of water...and a terrible taste when one eats the fruit." "Then as Princess of Equestria, I order you to hand over that Devil Fruit!" "As much as I want to be rid of this thing, I kinda can't." "And why not?!" "If somebody bites into this thing, accident or not, they'll be incredibly dangerous; as someone once quoted, 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.' I just can't take that chance." Celestia was deadly silent for a few moments, "...Then I'll take it by force. Guards! Seize him!" The Royal Guards brandished their spears, swords, and other such weapons at me, causing me to back up in utter fear. This is bad, this is bad, this is bad! I chanted like a mantra in my head, The guards are blocking every escape route possible! They've got me! What'll I do?! I glanced at the Devil Fruit in my hands, then back at the guards, to the fruit, then the guards, and I audibly gulped, I gotta risk it! "...I'm so gonna regret this." Before anyone could stop me, I opened my mouth wide and-- CHOMP! Bit into the Devil Fruit. Everyone around me gasped as I tasted the utter nastiness of the fruit, the urge to spit it out was too strong. NO! SWALLOW IT! I shouted to myself. With every ounce of willpower I had, I forced the vile-tasting fruit down my throat with a massive gulp...and threw the remains on the ground in front of me in disgust. "My God, that was DISGUSTING!" I screamed, "I heard they tasted terrible, but I didn't think it would be on this degree!" "What..." I looked back at the group in front of me as the princess levitated the Devil Fruit remains to her in shock, especially since she was the one who spoke. "What have you done..." I noticed that her features began to turn from shock to unbridled rage as she turned from the fruit to me, "...Time to go." I mumbled, fearfully. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?" I yelped at her using the Royal Canterlot Voice, as was shown from the Nightmare Night episode by her sister, Princess Luna, and ended up subconsciously activating my newfound powers, creating a wall of spiky ice separating me from the others. While the group tried to process what just happened, I took this as my chance to escape; picturing the power of the Ice-Ice Fruit in my mind, I ran away in a different direction as the guards recovered and charged at me, I willed ice walls from the floor to keep them away from me as I bolted through the exit. Unfortunately, even as I ran to find a way out of the castle, my control over my new powers were limited; all I could do was conjure ice walls, some with spikes to scare off the guards, but I couldn't even create weapons to defend myself with, and it's only a matter of time before the guards figure out a way to get through my walls of ice. Thankfully, Lady Luck was on my side for once as I found the main exit to the castle, I ran as fast as I could to it, but my senses were warning me about some impending danger up ahead, when it became to strong to ignore, I finally skid to a stop, and I'm super glad I did as a bolt of purple magic sailed past the front of my face and blew up a good section of the wall next to me, making me tremble and audibly gulp in nervousness, knowing full well that blast could've killed me had I kept going. "Huh, guess you're more perceptive than I thought." I turned to the sound of the voice as a purple armored anthro-stallion stepped out from behind a stone column; he had white fur, blue streaked mane, and cerulean blue eyes, I knew all too well that this was Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard and possesses powerful barrier magic. "Oh, fuck me..." I utter. "Don't bother trying to run," Shining began, "I locked the main doors before you arrived and the rest of the Royal Guard are on their way here. You're trapped with no where to go." Before I could panic properly, I noticed a set of keys on a keyring dangling from his right hip, just waiting to be plucked from his person. With all the courage I can muster right now, I answer with, "I'm not going down without a fight." Shining drew a one-handed longsword from his left hip, "Face it, you can't defeat the Royal Guard." I glare at him in absolute defiance, "Maybe not...but I can defeat YOU." Shining chose this moment to charge at me with his blade, but I intercepted him with my trademark ice wall, complete with spikes, making him back off and go around it. I tried to create more ice walls to bar him from reaching me, but he simply blasted through them with his magic beams, melting them as it passed through. I took cover behind a different stone column, "This'll take forever. And I can't reach those keys by fighting defensively." I peered from my hiding place to see Shining looking diligently for me before taking cover again, "There must be another way..." I racked my brain for an answer...then it hit me, "I freeze him, THEN take the keys. But how do I get close...?" I tap my chin with a finger a few times before shrugging, "Eh, I'll just have to wing it." I run out of my hiding spot and conjure a few ice walls just as Shining blasted them with his magic, I then ran back to my hiding spot and scope out the area, and just as I thought, he was focused on where I made the walls, blasting and melting the ice to get to me. Smirking, I sneak out of my little haven right behind him and leapt at his armored legs, surprising him. With as much willpower as I can muster, I willed his body to freeze and it was working; his entire lower half was frozen to the floor as I grabbed the keyring and made a run for the doors. He tried to swing his sword at me, but I was too far away already for it to hit me, so he switched to his magic to shoot me as I conjured more ice walls to cover me. I fumbled with the keys, trying to find the right one, but there had to be a hundred keys on this stinking thing! Fortunately, after the third try, I heard the satisfying sound of the lock clicking open and yanked the doors open just the Shining's magic melted through my ice again and I slammed the doors, praying to every deity in existence to not let the doors give way for his power. I heard the sound of a magic beam hitting the doors before the aftershock pushed me on my ass, guess these doors were magic-proof, thank you God. I suddenly felt like celebrating and did a little dance before running off into the city of Canterlot and hitchhiking on the next train to God-knows-where, hoping to find a place to hide and lay low for a little while. But tomorrow...my journey truly begins. The Ice-Ice Fruit, this "Lobos Excaliburn", everything that's happened so far... I gotta get some answers. (stop music) Celestia's POV After finally thawing the multiple walls of ice throughout the castle halls and Captain Shining Armor's legs, he began to give us a detailed explanation about what happened when he confronted the being with the "Devil Fruit". "Once I told him that he was pretty much cornered, he decided he was going to go down fighting and summoned more ice walls to hide behind, then he tricked me by creating more walls as he ran one direction, went back and behind me to freeze me to the floor, took my keys, and made a break for the doors as I swung my blade at him. I made a last ditch effort to blast him with my magic as he called more walls to shield him, but unfortunately, he managed to get the doors open and slam them on his way out, not only that, my magic couldn't pierce through the doors, so I have to assume that he got away." "Hmm..." Twilight, my prized pupil, hummed in thought, "He may be cowardly, but he's also clever if he managed to deceive Shining like that, plus it seems like his control over that 'Devil Fruit' ice thing is limited. Then again, he just bit into it and hasn't had a lot of time to control his new powers..." "...Then the longer we leave him be, the stronger he will become." I conclude, before standing straight, "Captain, send the squads out and sweep the area. Leave no stone unturned. Find him." "Yes, Your Highness." Captain Armor bowed before turning to his soldiers to relay their orders. "To the guests of the Grand Galloping Gala," I turned to address my people, "apologies to you all, but this year's Gala will have to be postponed for another time." groans of displeasure echoed throughout the ponies, even the other Element Bearers, "For now, if anypony has information on the being's whereabouts or anything that seems important, report it to the crown immediately. As of now, that...'Devil Fruit' creature and any others like him are now wanted in the name of Equestrian Royalty. We don't know if there ARE any others, but the one who had just fled now has a bounty of 10,000 bits." the crowd "ooh'd" at the prospect of gaining more money, "Do NOT approach him. He is now considered extremely dangerous. Send missive to the Guard to apprehend him, and whoever does will claim the reward." the crowd began to murmur to one another, "Now please, return to your homes, and a new date of a new Grand Galloping Gala will be sent to you all as soon as possible." The guests began to leave one after the other, and some I could almost see the gears in their heads turning about how to catch that "Devil Fruit" creature. Once the last one left, the Guards closed the doors as I addressed Twilight Sparkle and her friends. "My little ponies, I am terribly sorry that this night was ruined for you all..." "Don't be, Princess," Twilight interjected, "It wasn't your fault." "Yeah!" Rainbow Dash aggressively agreed, "It was that weirdo who showed up outta nowhere! Now I gotta wait to show the Wonderbolts my skills!" The other Element Bearers shared their reasons for coming and how they were ruined. I raised a hand to silence them, "I understand. But it is crucial that we find and capture that creature before something really bad happens." "What do ya want us ta do, Yer Highness?" Applejack asked. "For now, return to Ponyville and keep a vigilant eye out for this being. If he managed to make his way down the mountain by chance, then the first he may go is Ponyville for supplies." "Mm-hmm." The girls hummed before leaving as well. Now that I'm left with my thoughts, I could almost feel a chill in the air, like something was coming soon. If that was one Devil Fruit, then there must be more, and whoever or whatever brought them to Equestria, it's... It's monstrous.